The town derives its name from William Chapman who was born in 1816 on the plains of Waterloo, at Mt. Tonenshau, France. His father, William, was born in the parish of St. Teath, in Cornwall, England and was a slater in the Delabole Quarries, owned by Lord Thomas Avery. Lord Avery outfitted a company of ninety men for battle. William was a lieutenant in the company. He was severely wounded in battle and taken to Mt. Tonenshau where his wife, Elizabeth, who traveled there to be with him when she heard of his injuries, nursed him back to health. It was there that William Chapman was born. Both parents died in their native Cornwall and were the parents of three sons.
William Chapman was raised in Cornwall and from the age of seven, worked in the slate quarries where his father worked. He later secured employment in Devonshire, England where quarries were opened by Sir John Francis. William was later persuaded to work at Penn River Quarries in Wales, where Sir John Francis was Superintendent. He remained there for seven years and saved a sizable sum of money.
In the spring of 1842, William Chapman sailed for America aboard the vessel “Hindoo”. Upon his arrival in Easton, Pennsylvania, he presented his letters of recommendation to Mr. Erie, attorney-at-law. He went to Delaware Water Gap where a small quarry was in operation. After exploring the slate fields, he leased property in Northampton County which he later purchased and began the Chapman Slate Co.
William Chapman married Emily Carry who was born in South Carolina and educated in Baltimore, Maryland. William and Emily had seven daughters and four sons. William Chapman was a staunch Democrat, a devout Episcopalian, and an active Grand Mason. He died on December 13, 1902.
The Honorable Richard Chapman was born in Meadrose, Cornwall, England in 1840 and is a half-brother of William Chapman. In 1862, he came to America and settled in Pen Argyl, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where he served as Superintendent of the Pennsylvania Slate Quarry. In 1866, he became the Superintendent of the Chapman Slate Quarry. Richard Chapman was also
active in public matters. He served two terms in the Lower House of the State Legislature, served on the school board, town council, two terms as chief burgess of Chapman Borough, and was a delegate to the Democratic Convention.
His grand Victorian home still graces the southern entrance to the borough on Main Street.
While quarrying operations began about 1850, the borough itself was incorporated October 25, 1865.
Ref.
History of Chapman,
[url]http://www.chapmanquarriesumc.org/history-of-chapman-quarries.html[/url]